The DVD

Video:
Young viewers are likely to be drawn in by the bright colors and sharp picture quality of this disc, which is presented in full screen. Visually, the colors are bright and sharp as is the case with most Nickelodeon releases. LazyTown is a colorful place, and the picture quality of this disc is excellent.

Sound:
LazyTown Surprise Santa contains adequate sound (Dolby Digital 2.0), but it's nothing to write home about. Each episode features a techno song, and the sound is remarkably better on the song than when it comes to spoken dialogue. Having viewed LazyTown both on DVD and on television, the DVD is a slight improvement.

Extras:
Having viewed many of the Nickelodeon releases for 2005, I have to say that the "Nicktrition Tips for Parents" is perhaps the worst "special feature" I have run across in recent years. Each Nick Jr. release features these tips, which are aimed at getting kids to eat better. The two on this disc recommend getting kids to help pack their school lunches and how to cut foods so that children don't choke. Most parents whose kids are old enough to watch television have already been schooled since before their children were born on the dangers of incorrectly cut hot dogs, carrots, and grapes.

The information provided by the Nicktrition Tips borders on the inane. For instance, it appears that the people at Nickelodeon actually believe that a kid will eat healthier if mom and dad take him grocery shopping for his lunches. I don't care how health-minded Mom and Dad are, it is rare to see a kid clamoring to go down the produce aisle; it doesn't create the same rapturous effect induced by a slow stroll down the candy and potato chip aisle.

Instead, I would love some tips on how to get my child to eat something other than only Cheerios and chicken nuggets for six months straight. Or how to create a distaste for lollipops and the stale candy that has been sitting in the grocery store vending machine. Now that would be useful information!

By the way, the Nicktrition Tips are the only special feature included on this disc, unless you count promos for other DVD releases, and in my book, that's a commercial, which does not qualify as a special feature, even if that's where they're found. As many parents base their purchasing decisions in part on the included games and features of a disc, this one is not the best investment for that very reason. To be fair, it may be due to the fact that this is a fairly new show to the Nick Jr. lineup.

Final Thoughts:
I recommend watching this show with your kids a few times on television (for free) before you actually buy this disc. Kids will either love LazyTown or ignore it completely, so determine which way yours are going to go before you buy. Either way, it is not likely to be enjoyed by parents, so keep that in mind as well.